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The Penis Only Evolved Once, Suggests Study of Lizard Embryos

posted by cmn32480 on Friday October 30 2015, @09:14AM   Printer-friendly
from the now-this-is-hard-science dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The fact that the tuataras don't have penises makes them a useful study organism because it allows scientists to ask whether the lizards' ancestors had penises and lost them, or never had them to begin with. Now, according to new research published today in Biology Letters, the last common ancestor of all the amniotes did, in fact, have an erectable phallus, and that the modern diversity is the result of evolutionary tweaks over time (not the separate evolution of different phalluses).

Overheard at a cocktail party:

'So, what do you do?'
'I study lizard penises.'

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Friday October 30 2015, @11:27AM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 30 2015, @11:27AM (#256416) Journal

    The penis may only have evolved once, but the human design is almost certainly the peak as regards competition. All male mammals compete for reproduction rights/privileges, but the human penis takes that competition to a higher level.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/penis-shape-explanation_n_1642613.html [huffingtonpost.com]

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  • (Score: 5, Funny) by FatPhil on Friday October 30 2015, @11:50AM

    by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Friday October 30 2015, @11:50AM (#256424) Homepage
    A recent study from the University of Oxford, England, concluded that the penis was shaped the way it is was to give maximum pleasure to the man during sex.
    A follow-up study from the Sorbonne, France, concluded that the penis was shaped the way it is was to give maximum pleasure to the woman during sex.
    Both were wiped off the table when a final study from Princeton, USA, concluded that the penis was shaped the way it is was to stop your hand slipping off the end.
    --
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

  • (Score: 2) by ilPapa on Friday October 30 2015, @02:00PM

    by ilPapa (2366) on Friday October 30 2015, @02:00PM (#256455) Journal

    The penis may only have evolved once, but the human design is almost certainly the peak as regards competition.

    That's true. I have the blue ribbons to prove it.

    --
    You are still welcome on my lawn.

    • (Score: 2) by fritsd on Friday October 30 2015, @02:13PM

      by fritsd (4586) on Friday October 30 2015, @02:13PM (#256461) Journal

      That's true. I have the blue ribbons to prove it.

      AhA!! so YOU are that prized Scotsman [wikia.com]!

      "See yon sleeping Scotsman, so strong and handsome built?
      I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt!"

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by VortexCortex on Friday October 30 2015, @02:40PM

    by VortexCortex (4067) on Friday October 30 2015, @02:40PM (#256476)

    The penis may only have evolved once, but the human design is almost certainly the peak as regards competition.

    Negative. The human penis does not have to contend with crypto vaginae, unlike ducks. [youtube.com]

    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday October 30 2015, @03:14PM

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 30 2015, @03:14PM (#256494) Journal

      That's kind of awesome. I learned long ago that roosters don't have a penis, and somehow, I ASSumed that other birds don't have them either. You link to a bird penis, so I double check - some birds do not, some birds do have penises. Hmmmmm . . . seems that chickens did have them, way back in the mists of time, but then they lost them. Interesting.

      Now, I'm almost tempted to find out why male ducks - and ostriches - need that crazy looking thing. Almost.